Gas-machine.



No. 762,394. PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

G. (1. DIEHL.

. GAS MACHINE.

APPLIUATION rum) JAN. 21. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented June 14, 1904:.

PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE O. DIEHL, OF BUTLER, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO BUTLER ARC LIGHT COMPANY, OF BUTLER, INDIANA.

GAS-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,394, dated June 14, 1904.

Applieatiou filed January 21, 1903. Serial No.139,970. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. DIEI-IL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butler, in the county of Dekalb, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gas-machines.

The object of my presentinvention is to provide an improved gas-machine for the manufacture of gas from a liquid hydrocarbon, such as gasolene, for lighting and heating purposes, having an improved means for'utilizing the waste heat developed in the manufacture of gas, for keeping up the pressure of the gas in the delivery-pipe, and also for raising the temperature of the liquid hydrocarbon to aid in its vaporization and having an improved means for vaporizing the hydrocarbon in the retort and provided with improved means for diluting the vapor and regulating the candle-power of the gas. The principal novel features of my invention are the means for generating and mixing the burning fluid; the, subflameburner, by which the usual roaring and disagreeable noise is obviated; the means for regulating the candle-power of the gas, and the means for maintaining the initial pressure of the gas by utilizing the waste heat from the retort-vaporizer. In the accompanying drawings similar reference-numerals indicate like parts through out the several views, inwhich Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the apparatus as a whole, showing the relative arrangement of the operative parts. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the generating and mixing mechanism, taken in vertical central section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the deflector or spreader plate, by means of which thelfiame for the vaporizing-retort is equallzec.

In th'euse of my inventionI preferably employ a liquid hydrocarbon, such as gasolene, which can readily be vaporized without causing an excessive deposit of carbonaceous resiue.

The upright tank 1, of any proper contour and dimensions adapted to contain the gasolene to be used under proper pressure, is provided with a small hand-pump 2, by the well-understood use of which the gasolene in the tank is kept under suitable pressure and is fed upward through an outlet or feed pipe 3 to a retort-vaporizer 4c of any desired contour, preferably cylindrical, as shown.

The means for generating the gas in the retort 4 is described as follows: A subburner 5 is arranged about the feed-pipe 3 immediately below the retort 4 and is rigidly secured in position means of an adjustable collar 6 or other proper manner. This burner 5 consists of an open-topped cylindrical casing or shell 7, having a lateral inlet-opening 8 and provided with a perforated sheet-metal lining 9, so arranged therein as to leave an annular chamber 10, into which a predetermined quantity of the burning mixture is admitted from the retort-chamber through the pipe 11 and is then admitted to the burner through the perforations of the said cylindrical lining 9, thereby maintaining the flame in small jets, which impinge upon and come into direct contact with the upper end of the pipe 3 and the lower portion of the retort 4i.

The pipe 11 has its upper end properly secured in a lateral opening in the retort 4 and has its lower end provided with a lateral nipple 12, which is adapted to be arranged in close proximity to and directly opposite the opening 8. This nipple is controlled by a proper valve 13, and inuse a sufficient quantity of air mixes with the vapor as it enters the opening 8 to form a proper fuel mixture for the burner 5.

To insure a practically uniform distribution of the burning mixture in the annular chamber 10, I employ a curved deflector-plate 141, which is laterally perforated, as shown, and is arranged in a suitable recess in the burner 5 anddirectly opposite the inner end of the inlet-opening 8 and is adapted to check the direct force of the entering jet and to direct the incoming vapor in both directions in the annular chamber 10.

The perforations of the deflecting or spreader plate 1 1 may be varied in size, those directly in front of the jet and which receive its full force bein proportionately smaller than those on either side thereof, thereby aiding in the uniform distribution of the jet.

The vapor which is generated in the retort 1 passes upward through a short conduit or passage 15 into a surmounted mixing box or chamber 16 of proper size and of any desired contour and which is open at one side for the free admission of air, as shown in Fig. 2.

In a suitable screw-threaded vertical opening in the top of the mixing-box 16 is ad justably mounted the lower screw-threaded end of a pipe 18, through which the admixture of air and gas passes upward to the point of consumption. This pipe 18 is secured in any desired vertical adjustment relative to the adjacent outlet end of the conduit 15 by means of a jam-nut 19 or other proper manner.

A coupling 20 is arranged on the upper end of the pipe 18 to permit of the adjustment to regulate the quantity of air to be mixed with the gas at its entrance to the pipe 18, which is determined by the desired candlepower.

At the upper end of the pipe 18 is fixed a flaring hood 21, open upon its lower side, as shown in Fig. 2, and adapted to collect and receive a large portion of the heated air and products of combustion from the said burner 5, which are then conducted upward through a pipe 22, which passes directly through the gasolene in the reservoir or tank 1 and terminates a foot or more above the top of the said tank.

A pipe 17 is arranged within the pipe 22 and has its lower end united to the upper end of the pipe 18 by the coupling 20. By this arrangement the waste heat from the retort, which is collected by the hood 21, is utilized for two purposes: to keep the pipe 23 warm, thereby keeping up the pressure and preventing condensation of the vapor therein, which takes place when this pipe is cooled by contact with the gasolcne in the tank; second, to raise the temperature of the gasolenc in the tank and there aiding the work of the burner 5.

The operation of my invention thus described is obvious and, briefly stated, is as follows: The tank 1 being properly filled with gasolene, a sul'licient air-pressure is applied by means of the hand-pump 2, after which the burner 5 is lighted, thereby converting the liquid in the retort 1 and the upper end of the pipe 3 into gas. The valve 24 is now opened, which permits the gas generated in the retort to pass upward through the passage 15 into the mixing-box 16,where it receives a proper amount of air to fit it for the desired burning mixture, and then enters the lower end of the pipe 18 and passes upward to the point of consumption through the pipe 23. A small amount of the gas generated in the retort 4 is continuously supplied tothe burner 5 through the passage 11, the nipple 12, and the opening 8 under the control of the valve 13. A large portion of the escaping heat of the burner will be caught in its ascent by the hood 21 and directed into and through the pipe 22, which incloses the gas-pipe 17, whereby this waste product of combustion is utilized to keep up the temperature of the gas in its ascent through the tank, to insure a proper pressure in use, and to materially aid in warming the gasolene in the tank.

A controlling-valve may be provided, if desired, in the pipe 3, though one is not necessary and I have never employed one in practice.

Having thus described my invention and the manner of employing the same, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of the reservoir; a heating-pipe extending therethrough; a retortvaporizer in communication with the reser voir; a burner arranged below the vaporizing-chamber and connected therewith; a vapor-jet connection between the retort and the mixing-box; amixing-box; a gas-supply pipe leading from the mixing box through the heating-pipe and serving to convey the gas to a point of consumption; and a hot-air deflector arranged above the burner and adapted to direct the products of combustion from the burner through said heating-pipe.

2. The combination of the reservoir, a heating-pipe extending therethrough, a retortvaporizer connected to said reservoir, means for heating the retort, a mixing-box open at one end, a pipe leading between the retort and the mixing-box, a supply-pipe leading from the mixing-box to a point of consumption, said supply-pipe having a threaded lower section adapted to a threaded opening in the mixingbox and adjustable to regulate the quantity of air admitted to the supply-pipe, and means for locking the pipe in its adjusted position.

3. The combination of the reservoir, a heating-pipe extending therethrough, a retortvaporizer, a burner disposed below the vaporizer and in communication therewith, a mixing-box open at one end, a pipe connecting the vaporizing-chamber to the mixing-box, a supply-pipe leading through the heating-pipe IIO and having an adjustable lower section con- State of Indiana, this 15th day of January, neoted to the mixing-box, and a hot-air de- 1903. fleotor disposed above the retort-vaporizer and mixing-box and adapted to direct the Waste GEORGE DIEHL' 5 prod uets of combustion and heated air through Witnesses:

the said heatingpipe. WILsoN M. BoRDNER, Signed by me at Butler, Dekalb county, HENRY M. SHQWALTER. 

